- 3 months ago
Embark on an essential expedition into the realm of survival as we explore two compelling stories that can mean the difference between life and death.
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00:00There are many ways you can save your life in extreme situations.
00:04For example, when you get lost in the wilderness.
00:07But there are just as many myths.
00:09Let's have a look at some of them.
00:15Rumor has it that if you find yourself surrounded by snow and with no drinking water at hand,
00:20eating snow is the best way to rehydrate.
00:23Unfortunately, it's just false.
00:25Even worse, eating snow can lead to further dehydration.
00:30How come?
00:31Once you stuff some snow into your mouth, your body has to start a process that will melt the snow
00:36and warm it.
00:38And you'll need to spend more energy, which will make you lose liquids faster.
00:42But it's not all.
00:44Eating snow can result in hypothermia, which is twice as dangerous if you're alone in the wilderness.
00:50Besides, chances are that snow contains harmful bacteria that will make you sick.
00:54So if you don't have any other solution, melt the snow you're going to consume in your hands first to
01:00stay away from the snow that doesn't look fresh and white.
01:05If you find yourself with frostbite, take care of it as soon as you can.
01:09But despite a popular misconception, do not pour hot water on the damaged skin.
01:15It can make things much worse.
01:18Instead, if you can't see a doctor immediately, remove wet clothing and place the spot with frostbite in warm water.
01:25After that, make sure that the damaged body part isn't going to freeze again.
01:29And keep it elevated to reduce swelling.
01:32Then, put a bandage on the hurt area.
01:34If it's your fingers or toes, apply a bandage on each of them separately and then place cotton balls in
01:40between so that they don't touch.
01:42Never, ever rub the damaged area.
01:47If you get lost in the wilderness and have no idea what direction to choose, find a stream or a
01:53small creek.
01:54Follow it until it merges with a larger river and it will take you to a more developed and inhabited
01:59area where you'll get help.
02:01But don't you ever fall for this myth.
02:04You can drink the water if you see animals drinking it.
02:07If you manage to find a source of water, you need to purify this water first.
02:11Your body is very different from those of animals.
02:14And if you don't purify the water before drinking it, you can get extremely sick.
02:20Even in seemingly clean water, there are millions of microorganisms.
02:25And some of them are very dangerous to people.
02:28Freshwater springs might be safe to drink from.
02:31But in a survival situation, err on the side of caution.
02:36There is a survival myth that it's safe to drink water in small amounts.
02:40But such a delusion can have very dramatic consequences.
02:44Drinking any amount of salt water leads to dehydration much faster than if you don't drink anything at all.
02:50The best thing you can do with salt water is to use it for cooling down your body, not drinking.
02:58So, let's say you're wandering in the wilderness, lost and desperate, when suddenly you see a cave.
03:04Great! It'll make a perfect shelter.
03:06There's some wood and tinder you can pick up nearby, and you have matches.
03:11It seems all odds are in your favor.
03:14And they indeed are if you don't make a fatal mistake, which is building a fire inside the cave.
03:21And the main problem isn't the smoke from the fire.
03:24The thing is that the heat coming from your fire will cause the rocks,
03:28which make up the walls and the ceiling of the cave, to expand.
03:32Eventually, they might break, and then you'll get trapped in a rock fall or a landslide.
03:37To stay warm and safe at the same time, build a fire right outside the cave.
03:44As soon as you realize that you've gotten lost in the woods during a hike, immediately stop.
03:50It does sound counterintuitive, I admit.
03:53But it's a better solution than to keep walking.
03:56Better stay where you are and try to make some kind of shelter.
03:59For one thing, when you move, you get dehydrated faster.
04:03Besides, the further you travel away from wherever you got lost,
04:07the longer it will take a rescue party to find you.
04:11There's a myth that if you come across a swarm of bees and disturb these insects,
04:16the best course of action is to jump into the water.
04:20Unfortunately, it won't do you any good.
04:22The bees will just wait until you resurface to breathe.
04:25A good solution is to run in a straight line as fast as possible until the bees stop chasing you.
04:30An even better alternative is to find shelter, your car, a house, or even a public bathroom, and hide inside.
04:40Now, what would you do if you unexpectedly encountered a snake?
04:44Would you move towards the reptile and try to shoo it away?
04:47Or would you maybe poke it with a stick?
04:50Or you could shout at it and stomp your feet.
04:53What's your choice?
04:55Approaching the reptile and trying to scare it away to save yourself is nothing but a myth.
05:00The snake may think you're being aggressive and attack you.
05:04But even though snakes don't have ears, they're sensitive to vibrations.
05:08That's why raising your voice, banging two sticks together, or stomping your feet can make a snake retreat.
05:15But if there's an opportunity to walk away, use it.
05:19Here are some other tips that may help you in a critical situation.
05:24If you're falling from a cliff, do your best to break your fall into several parts.
05:28The shorter they are, the better.
05:30Each of the segments will absorb some impact of the fall, and you'll have much higher chances of surviving.
05:37Try to grab onto a sturdy object like a bush or a rock on your way to the bottom to
05:42slow down your fall.
05:45If you've fallen through the ice into freezing water, try to get back to the edge of the ice.
05:50Don't pull yourself out by grabbing it.
05:52The edge will keep breaking, and you'll exhaust yourself in no time.
05:57Kick your legs until your body is positioned horizontally in the water.
06:01After that, get out of the water and onto the ice like a seal.
06:05Once you've made it there, don't stand up.
06:08Remain spread out.
06:10This way, your weight will be distributed over a larger area.
06:13Then the ice will be less likely to break.
06:18If you're at sea and spot a whirlpool coming towards you, don't panic.
06:23If you understand which way it's spinning, ride it's side and use the whirlpool's current to catapult you out of
06:29danger.
06:29If you start fighting it, you're likely to get pulled inside.
06:33There's also a chance a whirlpool will dissolve or become weaker closer to the bottom.
06:37So, if you do get trapped by it, take a deep breath and wait for an opportunity to swim up
06:43and away.
06:46If you get trapped under some debris, for example, during an earthquake, your main task is to protect your respiratory
06:53system.
06:54Plus, you have to make your air supply last as long as possible.
06:58Take your shirt off and tie its bottom in a knot.
07:01Then, put it back on your head through the neck hole.
07:05The knot should be positioned over the top of your head.
07:08This way, you'll get a makeshift hood that will protect your face from dust, sand, and debris.
07:14It'll also provide you with a bit of oxygen while you're trying to get back to the surface.
07:20If you've gotten stuck in quicksand, do all you can to keep your head and arms above the surface at
07:26all times.
07:27Start to carefully wiggle your legs.
07:30Quicksand will fill the space your limbs occupied.
07:33As soon as you can, stretch out on your back.
07:36It will increase your surface area.
07:39Keep making tiny movements until your legs are free.
07:42You can also use backstroke motions with your arms.
07:46It'll help you pull your legs out.
07:50If there's nothing to use as tinder to start a fire, unpack your junk food stash.
07:55Pringles, Cheetos, and Lays can serve as an effective substitute for dry leaves.
08:00The same goes for spaghetti noodles.
08:07You're hiking the Point Reyes National Seashore, and you bump into a mountain lion.
08:11Stay calm.
08:12You need to show it that you're not scared.
08:14Shout loudly at the lion.
08:15Wave your arms.
08:16If that doesn't work, start throwing rocks, branches, or anything else you can get your hands on.
08:21Aim at the ground in front of the lion.
08:23Never throw anything directly at it.
08:25That will only make it angrier.
08:28If the lion is getting closer, protect your most vulnerable spots.
08:31It will aim for the neck and try to grab your arms.
08:34So tilt your head forward and protect your neck.
08:36And don't make sweeping arm movements.
08:38When the lion realizes that you're not an easy opponent, it will probably back off and run away.
08:44You're in Yellowstone.
08:46Here you have to come face to face with the grizzly bear.
08:49It's drinking water from a creek.
08:51A safe distance is 200 feet.
08:53The grizzly has spotted you.
08:54It stands on its hind legs and looks in your direction.
08:57Now it's about the height of an average basketball player, and it weighs almost 800 pounds.
09:02So you don't stand a chance to win.
09:03You have to freeze in place.
09:05Grizzlies have poor eyesight, so it just might not see you.
09:08But then it starts walking in your direction.
09:11Don't turn your back to it and don't even try to run as fast as you can.
09:14It will chase you.
09:16You need to seem bigger than you really are.
09:18Wave your arms and spread your legs a little wider.
09:20Always talk and shout at the bear.
09:22It will understand that you're not a humble deer.
09:25Try to make a clanking sound of metal.
09:27If you have food with you, don't throw it at the bear.
09:29Just put it on the ground and keep backing away while facing the bear.
09:33If it starts running towards you, your only chance is to fall to the ground and freeze.
09:38Bears aren't scavengers.
09:39So if it thinks you're not alive, it'll just sniff you, shrug, and walk away.
09:44Now you go diving on the Florida coast.
09:46You have to protect yourself from the great white shark.
09:48Never wear shiny and blinging jewelry when swimming.
09:51It attracts sharks.
09:53And never swim at night.
09:54This is when they go out looking for food.
09:57Lots of splashing water can also attract this marine predator.
10:00But if the shark swims towards you anyway, the rule here is one.
10:03Do everything in your power to defeat it.
10:05Try to stay calm and swim to the shore.
10:08If the shark chooses you as food, there's only one thing that can scare it off.
10:11Try to punch the shark in the nose, eyes, or gills.
10:14Now you're in Africa.
10:15Here in the tall grass of the savannah, you see a lion.
10:18And worse, it sees you.
10:20The first thing you need to do is maintain eye contact.
10:23Don't turn your back to the lion and don't run.
10:25This 8-foot predator, weighing like 3 adults, is running at you at the speed of a car on the
10:30highway.
10:31But then it stops abruptly and continues to stare at you.
10:34Lions often make fake charges to frighten their opponent.
10:37At this point, you have to appear much bigger than you really are.
10:40Spread your arms and make loud noises.
10:42Then the lion can make another fake charge.
10:44And if you keep standing still, the lion will realize you're a strong opponent and go the other way.
10:49The female lion is way more dangerous than the male one.
10:52If it's guarding the babies, it won't stop and you won't stand a chance.
10:56Your safari jeep takes you to the next location.
10:58You see elephants peacefully drinking water.
11:00These guys can be 10 feet tall and weigh as much as two SUVs.
11:04They can even flip cars over with their powerful tusks.
11:07And now, one of them sees you and wags its big ears.
11:11It's bluffing.
11:11With those ears, the elephant wants to appear bigger and scare you away.
11:15It's also scared and won't run at you all the way.
11:18You must let the elephant know you're not threatening it.
11:21Don't yell or wave your arms.
11:22Take slow steps back until you leave the elephant's personal space.
11:26If it runs at you with ears to its head, let's not bluff it.
11:29Climbing a tree isn't a good option right now.
11:32It might ram the tree and you'll fall down.
11:34It might even tilt the tree with its strong trunk.
11:36You need to run in a zigzag pattern.
11:39The elephant is heavy and it's hard for it to change directions quickly.
11:42So gradually, you'll start to pull away from it.
11:44But still remember that an elephant can run 25 miles per hour.
11:48So you'll unlikely escape from it.
11:50Now let's move on to the Nile River.
11:52It has the largest number of crocodiles in the world.
11:54If you're camping, take a distance of at least 160 feet from the shore.
11:58This way, the crocodile will not stumble upon your camp at night.
12:02Never take your eyes off the crocodile.
12:04It can take advantage of that moment and take you by surprise.
12:08Their top speed is only 10 miles per hour.
12:10But they can make charges at 40 feet per second from the water.
12:13So the only chance to survive is to stay out of the water.
12:16If not, the crocodile's weak points are the eyes, the tip of the nose, and the membrane in the throat.
12:22This membrane prevents water from entering the crocodile's throat.
12:25When running away from a crocodile, be careful not to bump into a hippopotamus.
12:29This is one of the most dangerous animals in the world.
12:32They can be the size of a business class car and weigh as much as a big elephant.
12:36And they can run as fast as horses.
12:38So they're sure to outrun you in a sprint.
12:41The main thing is to not frighten it.
12:43If you're standing far away, get its attention with a loud sound.
12:46Usually, they will try to get away from you.
12:48Use this moment to back away, too.
12:50But if you see a hippo yawning, it's a sign that you're violating its comfort zone.
12:55They can open their mouth at 180 degrees and have the bite force of a crocodile.
12:59So you can't beat it and have to run.
13:02The best option is to climb a tree or some kind of slope.
13:05Hippos have a hard time climbing high places.
13:07And if you manage to escape, you'd be one of the few people who survived a face-to-face encounter
13:12with a hippo.
13:13There's also buffaloes living here in the savannah.
13:16They can be as tall as an adult and weigh a whole ton.
13:19And unlike lions and elephants, they don't make a fake charge.
13:22If you see this machine running at you, it definitely has evil intentions.
13:26Their powerful horns and skull can bend sheets of metal.
13:29They can turn a new car into a pile of scrap metal.
13:33You can never outrun a buffalo.
13:34So your only option is to find the nearest tree and run to it before the buffalo even starts its
13:39charge.
13:39If you run into a snake, you need to freeze in place.
13:43There are endless species of snakes, and you don't know if your opponent is venomous or not.
13:47So you definitely need to avoid getting bitten.
13:50Make smooth and slow backward movements.
13:52If the snake is following you, stop and start stomping your feet.
13:56The strong vibrations of the ground should scare it away.
13:59If the snake bit you anyway, try to remember exactly what it looked like.
14:02Better yet, take a picture of it.
14:04To neutralize the venom, you need to take an antidote to the specific venom of that species of snake.
14:09You're on your way to northeast Asia.
14:11As you're going through the dense jungle, you see a clearing.
14:15Several wild boars are peacefully grazing it.
14:17One of them is a female with several children.
14:20It'll do anything to protect them, so it's especially aggressive now.
14:23Oops, it spotted you.
14:25Get ready to defend yourself.
14:26If the wild boar is making high-pitched, piercing cries, it's going to strike you.
14:30The first thing you need to do is to stay calm and stand still.
14:34You have a good chance that the boar will go on its way, but you see it starting to run.
14:38And now you have several options.
14:40A. You can run away.
14:41B. You can face the blow.
14:43And C. Climb the nearest tree.
14:47The first option is wrong.
14:48Wild boars can run almost as fast as Usain Bolt.
14:51And when it catches up to you, its sharp tusks won't leave you a chance.
14:56Option B. Stay where you are.
14:58Wrong.
14:58A wild boar can weigh as much as a motorcycle and be almost as long as an adult.
15:03A hit at 25 miles per hour will just knock you down.
15:06So the correct option is to climb the nearest tree.
15:09If there's no trees, then climb a car or a tall rock.
15:12You have to be in a higher position than the boar.
15:14When it realizes it can't reach you, it'll leave you alone.
15:18The most important thing is to stay away from wild boars.
15:20Never try to feed them or provoke them.
15:22I want to try and catch you in a better place.
15:23If you can see this, that will be a better place if you're in your hand.